Rebar holding clip

ABSTRACT

A rebar holding clip for temporarily holding a single piece of rebar that selectively attaches to the stub or to a flange surface on a footing cleat or similar structure. The clip includes a main bracket with two parallel alignment arms longitudinally aligned and mounted on one side surface of the main bracket. In one embodiment, the main bracket is a steel tubular body The alignment arms are relatively thin and their opposite ends are elevated above the adjacent side surface. The alignment arms are also spaced apart and creating a continuous, elongated inner receiving space. Located under the ends of the alignment arms is a flat magnet with a center section exposed to the receiving space. During use, a piece of rebar is longitudinally aligned over the receiving space and in between the two alignment arms. Magnetic forces generated by the two magnets temporarily hold the rebar in the receiving space and between the alignment arms.

This utility patent application is based upon and claims the filing datebenefit of U.S. provisional patent (Application No. 61/760,424) filed onFeb. 4, 2013.

Notice is hereby given that the following patent document containsoriginal material which is subject to copyright protection. Thecopyright owner has no objection to the facsimile or digital downloadreproduction of all or part of the patent document, but otherwisereserves all copyrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to connectors used to temporarily hold a singlepiece of rebar in a fixed position in a temporary form later filled withwet concrete and allowed to cure.

2. Description of the Related Art

Concrete footings are constructed by assembling a wood form at a desiredlocation on the ground and then pouring wet concrete into the form andallowing the concrete to cure. After the concrete as cured, the form isdissembled and a self-standing footing is created.

When constructing concrete footings on residential houses or smalloffices, pieces of horizontal and vertical rebar are placed in fixedlocations in the footing space created by the form. The rebar mustpositioned at fixed locations in the foot space according to thebuilding plans. Wet concrete is poured into the footing space, all orportions of the rebar is covered. Because the rebar may move inside thefooting space when wet concrete is poured into the footing space, therebar is usually securely tied together or tied to the forms.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,959,125 discloses a relatively simple, inexpensiveconcrete footing cleat incorporated by reference, designed to hold two,parallel side boards in a fixed, spaced apart position to construct aconcrete form and support pieces of horizontal and vertical angle rebar,placed inside the form. The cleat includes a footing member typicallymade magnetically attractive material, such as steel, with a centrallyaligned stub that extends vertically and perpendicularly from the topsurface of the footing member. The stub is a hollow tube square orrectangular in cross-section. Attached to the opposite ends of thefooting member are two optional, downward extending end brackets. Holesare formed each bracket designed to receive a nail to temporarily attachthe foot member to the outside surfaces of the two side boards.

The properly spacing, aligning and tying pieces of rebar together or tothe footing form with tie wire when constructing a footing or a verticalwall is very time consuming and expensive. Unfortunately, somecontractors will attempt to cut costs and only partially tie the rebartogether.

What is needed is a clip that can be easily and quickly attached to afooting cleat identical or similar to the cleat shown in U.S. Pat. No.7,959,125 that will temporarily hold a single piece of rebar in thefooting space when wet concrete is poured into the footing or a singlepiece of rebar aligned vertically in a wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A rebar holding clip that selectively attaches to a stub or to a flangesurface on a footing cleat or similar structure and used to temporarilyhold a single piece of rebar.

In one embodiment, the clip includes a short, tubular main body with atleast alignment arm mounted on one side of the main body. The main bodyis configured to be inserted into or extended around a stab androtationally locked thereon to it does not axially rotate.

On one embodiment, there are two straight, rigid parallel alignment armslongitudinally aligned with and attached to on one side of the mainbody. The ends of each alignment arm are elevated above the side surfaceof the main body and evenly spaced apart forming a continuous receivingspace between them that is longitudinally aligned with the main body. Anarrow cavity is formed between the ends of the alignment arms and theside surface of the main body.

In one embodiment, two flat magnets are inserted into the two narrowcavities formed under the upper and lower ends of the two alignmentarms. The magnets extend across the outside surface of the side of mainbody and under the upper and lower ends of the two alignment arms. Thetwo alignment arms are relatively narrow so the middle section of eachmagnet is partially exposed to the receiving spaced formed by the twoalignment arms. When a rebar is longitudinally aligned over thereceiving space and in between the two alignment arms, the two magnetsare in close proximity with the adjacent surface of the steel rebarmagnetically attaching the rebar to the main body. The two arms aresufficiently narrow and sufficiently spaced apart so the steel rebar maynest between the two alignment arms when attracted to the magnet andprevented from rotating or twisting.

Each magnet has a sufficient magnetic field to hold up to a 40 lb pieceof rebar in place between the two alignment arms. The main body may alsobe made out of material magnetic attracted to the magnet which holds themagnets in place on the main body.

In another embodiment, the tubular main body is replaced with aU-shaped, biased slide finger that slides over one of the footingcleat's flanges.

In still another embodiment, the tubular main body is replaced with aninsert member that engages the bore on the footing cleat's stub.

Optional handles may be attached to the clip that allows the clip to beeasily grasp and pulled from the footing cleat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of footing cleat disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,959,125 that uses a footing cleat over the top edges two side boardsused with a removable vertical post attached to the footing cleat's stuband showing J-shaped footing rebar disposed inside the form.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a footing cleat with thevertical removed from the stub and showing three rebar holding clipsdisclosed herein that can be used with the footing cleat to hold anindividual piece of rebar.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the rebar holding clipthat uses a stub capturing main body showing a piece of rebar beingdisposed in between the two straight alignment rods circular incross-section.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the rebar holding clip shown in FIGS. 3 and4 with the piece of rebar attached to the clip.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a second rebar holding clip.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the second rebar holding clipshown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of the rebarholding clip with a finger member that engages a flange surface on thefooting cleat.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the rebar holding clip shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a fourth embodiment of the rebarholding clip with a biased insert member that slides into the stub bore

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

A rebar holding clip that temporarily holds a single piece of rebar thatselectively attaches to a stub or to a flange surface on a footingcleat.

As shown in FIG. 2, four embodiments of a rebar holding clip 100, 200,300 and 400 are disclosed each designed to be selectively attached to afooting cleat 12 or a similar structure. When the vertical post on thefooting cleat 12 is removed, the first embodiment of the rebar clip 100may selectively attaches to the footing cleat's vertical stub 14.

In the first embodiment, the rebar clip 100 a tubular main body 102designed to slide over or inside the stub 14. Mounted the outer surface104 of one side of the main body 102 are two parallel alignment arms110, 120. Also attached to the outer surface of the main body 102 andinside the two alignment arms 110, 120 is an elongated receiving space130. Attached to the main body 102 and exposed in the receiving space130 is at least one flat magnet 140. In the embodiment shown, two flatmagnets 140 and 145 are used.

The two arms 110, 120 are configured and spaced apart so a piece ofrebar 95 may be positioned over and in between the two alignment arms110, 120 and in sufficient close proximity to the two magnets 140, 145.

FIGS. 5-6 show a second embodiment of the rebar holding clip 200 inwhich the two alignment arms 110, 120 used on clip 100 are replaced by awing shaped structure 210 attached to the outside surface of one longside 204 of the main body 202. The wing shaped structure 210 includes apair or upper arms 220, 225 and a pair of lower arms 230, 235, attachedto a flat central plate 215 attached to the side 204 of the main body202. The upper and lower arms 220, 225, 230 and 235 diverge outward fromthe central plate 215 and then extend upward and downward, respectively,over the side 204 of the main body 202. The ends of the upper and lowerarms 220, 225, 230, and 235 are substantially parallel to the side 204thereby forming a narrow cavity 240, 245 that extends across the side204 and under each pair of arms.

Inserted into each narrow cavity 240, 245 is a flat magnet 250, 260. Thetwo pairs of alignment arms are relatively narrow so the middle sectionof each magnet 240, 245 is partially exposed to the receiving space 270formed by the two pairs of alignment arms 220, 225, 230, and 235. When arebar 95 is longitudinally aligned over the receiving space and inbetween the two pairs of alignment arms 220, 225, 230, and 235, the twomagnets 240, 245 are in close proximity with the adjacent surface of thesteel rebar 95 to magnetically attach the rebar 95 to the main body 204.Like the two arms used in the first embodiment of the clip 100, the pairof arms 220, 225, 230, and 235 are sufficiently narrow and sufficientlyspaced apart so the steel rebar may 95 nest between the two pairs ofalignment arms when attracted to the magnets 250, 260 and prevented fromrotating or twisting.

FIGS. 8 and 9 shows another embodiment of the clip indicated generallyby reference number 300 includes a main bracket 302 with an upperinverted U-shaped gutter 304 that extends over one of the horizontal topedge on the vertical flange 16 on a footing cleat 12 or similarstructure. Attached to the main bracket 302 is an inverted L-shapedalignment member 310 that includes two parallel alignment arms 315, 317.The alignment arms 315, 317 are parallel and space apart to receive apiece of rebar 95. Disposed inside the main bracket 302 is at least oneflat magnet 330. The upper ends of the two alignment arms 315, 317 areattached to an optional bail 340.

FIGS. 2 and 10 shows a third embodiment of the clip indicated by thereference number 400 that includes an two insert members 420, 430 thatengages the bore on a footing stub 14 or pipe 99. The clip 400 includesa main bracket 402 and two parallel downward extending insert members420, 430, and one or two upward extending arms 440, 450. The insertmembers 420, 430 are made of stiff wire and designed to resist bending.When inserted into the bore on a stub 14 on a footing cleat 16 or pipe99, the lower legs of the two insert members 420, 430 presses tightlyagainst the inside surface of the stub or pipe to hold the clip 400 inplace. The main bracket 402 is positioned on one side of the stub andpipe and the two arms 440, 450 are parallel and evenly spaced apart. Theupper leg of each insert member 420, 430 attaches to the main bracket402.

Located inside or attached to the front surface of the main bracket 402are one or two flat magnets 460, 470. The two arms 420, 430 arevertically aligned and sufficiently narrow and sufficiently spaced apartso the steel rebar may 95 nest between them when attracted to themagnets 460,470 and prevented from rotating or twisting.

It should be understood that the size of the alignment arms in eachembodiment, tha the length and width of the receiving space createdbetween the arms is adjustable during manufacturing and depends on thesize of the rebar 95 the clip is designed to be used with. Generally,the Figs show number 4 rebar that is ½ inch in diameter. The receivingspace 130 is approximately 9/16 inches wide. The invention is notlimited to these sizes and widths.

In compliance with the statute, the invention described has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features.It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited tothe specific features shown, since the means and construction showncomprises the preferred embodiments for putting the invention intoeffect. The invention is therefore claimed in its forms or modificationswithin the legitimate and valid scope of the amended claims,appropriately interpreted under the doctrine of equivalents.

I claim:
 1. A rebar holding clip, comprising; a. a mounting bracket; b.two parallel alignment aims mounted on said mounting bracket, saidalignment arms being spaced apart and forming an elongated empty spacebetween them, said alignment arms and said elongated empty spaceconfigured to partially receive a section of a rebar aligned parallel tosaid alignment arms; and, c. at least one magnet located between saidmounting bracket, said magnet being at least partially exposed in saidreceiving space thereby creating a magnetic force on a piece a rebardisposed in between said alignment arms and over said receiving space.2. The rebar holding clip as recited in claim 1, wherein said mountingbracket is a tubular main body with a side surface.
 3. The rebar holdingclip as recited in claim 2, including two magnets mounted on said sidesurface and partially exposed to said receiving surface.
 4. The rebarholding clip as recited in claim 3, wherein said magnets are partiallypositioned under said alignment arms.
 5. The rebar holding clip asrecited in claim 2, wherein said magnets are partially positioned undersaid alignment arms.
 6. The rebar holding clip was recited in claim 2,wherein said main body is made of steel tubing material.
 7. The rebarholding clip as recited in claim 2, wherein said main body is made ofplastic.
 8. The rebar holding clip as recited in claim 2, wherein saidalignment arms comprise a a wing shaped structure attached to said sideof said main body.
 9. The rebar holding clip as recited in claim 1,wherein said alignment arms are straight and parallel to each other andto said mounting bracket.
 10. The rebar holding clip, as recited inclaim 1, wherein said mounting bracket includes an upper invertedU-shaped gutter and a two parallel alignment arms, said alignment armssufficiently spaced space apart to receive a piece of rebar.
 11. Therebar holding clip, as recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting bracketincludes a main bracket connected to said biased insert membersconfigured to engage a bore on a footing cleat or a pipe.